The Dome in Northgate is an iconic feature of the Gauteng skyline, originally known as the MTN Sundome when it opened in April 1998. On opening night it hosted songbird Diana Ross in front of a crowd of 15,000 people.
The initial plan was for the building to host a car dealership and WeBuyCars has acquired the facility and turned it into a mega showroom housing more than 1,000 cars. It will be officially opened on March 23, but is already operational.
WeBuyCars was founded in 2001 by brothers Faan and Dirk van der Walt, who have built it into a national operation with vehicle warehouses all over SA providing a wide variety of vehicles to choose from.
With more than 1,000 registered dealers on the WeBuyCars system, about 40% of sales go to dealerships and the balance to private individuals.
WeBuyCars offers a service that comes to customers, buys their cars and provides immediate payment. Customers can also sell or trade in vehicles at one of its dealerships.
Rikus Blomerus, GM HR & marketing, took us for a tour of the facility.
Buyers can view at least 1,000 cars in one venue while also being able to arrange bank finance. Food stalls are planned as well as a children’s section.
“The aim is to create a space where people can make searching for a car a family outing,” said Blomerus.
Exploring the WeBuyCars mega showroom at The Dome
The Dome in Northgate is an iconic feature of the Gauteng skyline, originally known as the MTN Sundome when it opened in April 1998. On opening night it hosted songbird Diana Ross in front of a crowd of 15,000 people.
The initial plan was for the building to host a car dealership and WeBuyCars has acquired the facility and turned it into a mega showroom housing more than 1,000 cars. It will be officially opened on March 23, but is already operational.
WeBuyCars was founded in 2001 by brothers Faan and Dirk van der Walt, who have built it into a national operation with vehicle warehouses all over SA providing a wide variety of vehicles to choose from.
With more than 1,000 registered dealers on the WeBuyCars system, about 40% of sales go to dealerships and the balance to private individuals.
WeBuyCars offers a service that comes to customers, buys their cars and provides immediate payment. Customers can also sell or trade in vehicles at one of its dealerships.
Rikus Blomerus, GM HR & marketing, took us for a tour of the facility.
Buyers can view at least 1,000 cars in one venue while also being able to arrange bank finance. Food stalls are planned as well as a children’s section.
“The aim is to create a space where people can make searching for a car a family outing,” said Blomerus.
Digital pads are on hand at the Dome's many entrances where buyers and sellers can load vehicle information as part of a selling process or view available stock. The system is designed to be user-friendly and safe in that it’s linked to the NaTIS vehicle database so stolen cars can’t be easily passed off for a quick buck.
Once a customer’s vehicle has been verified, the adoption process begins with a mechanical diagnosis completed on site by Dekra technicians. Vehicles are checked for technical problems and a report is prepared that will be available to potential buyers. The vehicles are washed and photographed before display on the floor.
WeBuyCars also caters for customers who prefer to do online shopping. They can access the WeBuyCars website and do transactions from their homes or offices.
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